Benefit calculation

The DuPont Co. has told 18,000 former workers they have from Sept. 12 until Oct. 21 to trade their future pensions -- for up-front cash, or for an earlier but smaller monthly annuity -- instead of waiting until they reach retirement age to collect traditional pension checks.

How much effort should a company make to inform employees how their personal decisions could affect their benefits? This week, a widow learned she lost an appeal to the Walt Disney Co. over that issue.

I received a letter from my pension plan stating that it has been overpaying me. The letter says that the plan is going to reduce my monthly payments and that I will also have to pay an additional amount to the plan. What can I do?

We at the Pension Rights Center have long recognized the important role that U.S. Administration on Aging’s Pension Counseling and Information Program (PCIP) plays in protecting the legal rights of retirees and their families.

Imagine earning a pension after many years of hard work with a company. Then you leave your employer before retiring and without claiming your pension. When you reach retirement age, you expect to be able to start receiving that pension but you are unable to find the employer or the plan. Your pension plan is “lost”.

No doubt you’ve heard that American Airlines has filed for bankruptcy. The airline has four underfunded pension plans, and their fate is the source of much speculation. Despite meetings the company has held with employees to discuss their pensions, workers remain concerned.

PensionHelp America connects people who need help with their pension, 401(k), and other retirement plans with the pension counseling projects, legal services providers, and government agencies that can help answer their questions. Visit www.pensionhelp.org.

Did You Know?

Church pension plans. Employees covered by church pension plans are denied the basic protections provided to virtually all other private-sector workers who participate in pension plans. Read our fact sheets to learn more.